u 

& 


1° 


Dr.  Cbauncfs 

\ 

DISCOURSE 


Occafioncd  by  the  DEATH  of  the  Reverend 


Dr.  May  hew. 


u 


A 

DISCOURSE 

OCCASIONED 
BY    THE  DEATH    OF    THE    REVERNED 

JONATHAN  MAYHEW,  D.  Do 

LATE  PASTOR  OF  THE 

WEST-CHURCH  IN  BOSTON  : 

WHO    DEPARTED    THIS  LlFE 

On  Wednefday Morning,  JULY  9.  17663 

.&TATIS    46. 

Delivered  the  LORD'S-DAY  after  his  Deceafe. 
BY 

CHARLES  CHAUNCY,  D.  D. 

A    PASTOR    OF    THE    FIRST    CHURCH     IN    BOSTON. 


B     0     S     T    0     N     l 

Printed  by    R,  and  S.  DRAPER,     EDBS   and  GILI,,    and 
T.  and  J.  FLBST. 


MDCCLXVf, 


A  FUNERAL  DISCOURSE. 


ECCLES.  VII.  2. 


— "  THAT  is  the  end  of  all  men,  and 
the  living  will  lay  it  to  his  heart. ' 


HAD  the  fovereignLord  of  life  fele&ed 
for  death  me,    who  am  fpeaking  to 
you,  inftead  of  him  who  was  your 
paftor,  and  my  "  fellow-laborer,  and  com- 
panion, in  the  kingdom   and  patience  of 
Jefus  Chrift, "  he  would,  I  doubt  not,  have 
been  concerned,    that  fuch   a  providence 
might  have  quickened  his  care  in  preparing 
to  follow  after  in  his  turn.     And  had  he 

been 


A    FUNERAL  DISCOURS-E. 


been  called  to  preach  upon  my  departure 
out  of  the  world,  as  I  am  upon  his,  I  can- 
not fuppofe  but  he  would  have  taken  occa- 
lion  from  fuch  a  difpenfation  to  put  his 
hearers  in  mind  of  their  own  end  ;  urging 
them  to  conftant  diligence,  in  the  ufe  of 
all  means,  that  they  might  get  and  keep 
themfelves  in  readinefsfor  it.  This  is  cer- 
tainly the  voice  of  heaven  in  the  affecting 
inftance  of  mortality  we  are  invited  this 
day  to  lament  before  God  :  And  it  very 
loudly  and  folemnly  calls  to  us  all.  "  He 
that  hath  ears  to  hear,  let  him  hear."  And 
may  the  voice  of  fo  ftriking  an  article  in 
the  conduct  of  God  not  only  enter  into  our 
cars,  but  into  our  hearts  !  that  it  may  have 
an  abiding  good  effeft  upon  our  lives, 

IM  order  to  this,  I  fhall  employ  your 
meditations  on  the  well  adapted,  important 
words  of  the  wile  and  infpired  Solomon, 
which  have  been  juft  read  to  you  ;  taking 
occafion  from  them  to  confider  death  as 
"  the  end  of  all  men,"  and  to  explain  and 
urge  the  duty  of  "  laying  to  heart"  this  fe- 
fious  and  affecting  truth. 

THE 


cc 


FUNERAL  'DISCOURSE.      7 

TH  E  wife  man  had  been  fpeaking  of 
the  houfe  of  mourning  ;"  and  he  ful>- 
joins  thereupon  the  awakening  obfervation 
in  the  former  part  of  my  text,  "  that  is  the 
"  end  of  all  men."  His  meaning  is,  that 
death  is  the  common  fate  of  the  whole  hu- 
man race  ;  that  we  may  all  as  certainly  ex- 
pe£l  to  die,  and  to  be  carried  to  the  grave, 
as  thofe  whofe  funerals  we  are  at  any  time 
called  to  attend. 

ONLY,  let  it  be  carefully  remembered 
here,  his  thus  fpeaking  of  death,  as  "  the 
end  of  all  men,"  is  not  to  be  underftood  as 
favoring  the  notion  of  thofe,  who  fuppofe 
that  death  puts  a  "  final  period  to  man's 
exiftence."  Such  an  interpretation  of  his 
words  would  be  a  contradiction,  not  only 
to  the  general  doftrine  of  the  Bible,  but  to 
the  doftrine  of  this  royal  preacher  himfelf 
in  this  very  book  ;  which  is,  that  "  the 
fpirit  of  a  man,"  when  he  dies,  "  gpeth  up- 
wards," that  is,  to  God,  that  God,  who,  as 
he  fays,  "  will  bring  every  work  into  judg- 
ment, with  every  fecret  thing,  whether  it 
be  good  or  whether  it  be  evil/' 


Hfi 


8      A  FUNERAL  DISCOURSE. 

HE  does  not  therefore  call  death  "  the 
end  of  all  men,"  becaufe  it  puts  an  end  to 
their  being  ;  but  becaufe  it  terminates  their 
Hate  in  this  world  ;  introducing  them  into 
a  new  and  different  manner  of  exiftence. 
Death  is  their  "  end,"  not  as  they  ceafe,  by 
means  of  it,  to  be  any  more  at  all ;  but  as 
it  deftroys  their  prefent  mode  of  life,  with 
all  the  connections  therewith,  and  depen- 
dances  thereon,  fo  far  as  they  relate  to  this 
lower  world. 

THE  human  fyftem  is  a  moft  curious 
piece  of  divine  workmanfhip.  It  confifts 
of  two  eflentially  different  parts,  a  "  body" 
that  is  wonderfully  put  together,  and  ren- 
dered capable,  by  means  of  its  various  or- 
ganization, of  a  great  many  valuable  purpo- 
fes  ;  and  a  "  foul"  that  is  furnifhed  with 
powers  of  a  more  noble  and  excellent  na- 
ture, fuch  as  thinking,  reafoning,  refle&ing, 
and  perceiving  both  pleafure  and  pain,with 
admirable  variety,  in  kind  and  degree,  al- 
moft  without  end.  Between  thefe  two, 
though  quite  different  from  each  otherwhere 
is  "  fo  intimate  a  relation  as  to  conftitute 
*c  one  perfon,  or  living  agent.  And  fuch  is 

their 


" 


A  FUNERAL  DISCOURSE.      9 

their  mutual  dependance,  that  the  "  mind" 
perceives  for  the  whole  body,  cares  for  all  its 
"  members,  and  directs  all  its  motions  :  And, 
"  on  the  other  hand,  the  "  corporeal  organs'1 
"  convey  to  the  mind  the  knowledge  of  ex- 
"  ternal  objects,  and  are  the  fit  inftrumcnts  of 
"  its  active  powers."     This  is  our  frame,  and 
thus  we  live  in  the  world.     In  confequence 
of  thefe  wonderfully   formed  "  bodies"  and 
"  fouls,"  and   the  clofe   union   there  is  be- 
tween them,  we  become  capable  of  all  thofe 
employments  and  enjoyments,  whether  bodily 
or  mental,  fecular  or  religious,  wherein  con- 
fifts  the  benefit  of  life,  and  in  the  due  pro- 
portioning and  regulating  of  which   lies  its 
perfection  and  glory  in  this  prefent  (late,  and 
its  preparation  for  the  enfuing  one.     Now 
death  puts  an  end — to  what  ?  To  the  relation 
there  is  between   foul  and  body,   and  their 
mutual  fubfcrviency  to  each  other,  and  every 
thing  dependant  thereon.     No  more  pleafure 
is  conveyed  by  the  eyes,  or  ears,  or  any  other 
of  the  organs  of  fenfation;    no  more  ideas 
are  introduced  into   the  mind  from  external 
nature,  at  leaft  in  the  ufual  way :  Nay,  the 
mind  itfelf  can  no  longer  exert  any  of  its 
powers  by  the  mediation  of  the  body.   There 
is  now  an  end  put  to  all  the  labors,  bufineflcs, 
B  aod 


DISCOURSE. 

and.amufements  of  the  prefent  life;  to  all 
the  fatisfactions  arifing  from  external  objects, 
from  fricndmips,  from  relations,  or  focial 
communications  of  any  kind  ;  yea,  even  our 
very  thoughts,  depending  on  the  body,  do 
now  perifh,  together  with  all  our  defires 
and  wiflies,  all  our  projections  and  contri- 
vances, whether  for  ourfelves  or  others. 

TH  is  now  is  the  "  end"  which  death  brings 
upon  c:  all  men."  It  at  once  puts  a  period 
to  all  our  pleafures  as  well  as  pains,  to  all 
our  hopes  as  well  as  fears,  to  all  our  con- 
nections, diftinctions,  and  callings,  whether 
civil  or  religious, 

PERMIT  me  here  to  make  a  paufe,  and  put 
you  in  mind  of  the  obligations  of  love  and 
gratitude  you  are  under  to  Jefus  Chrifl-,  thro' 
whom  5t  is  we  have  the  hope  of  a  glorious 
immortality,  notwithftanding  all  that  death 
can  do  to  deprive  Us  of  life.  Though  death, 
which  is  the  common  lot  of  all  men,  will 
"  end"  our  being  in  this  prefent  ftate,  diiTolv- 
ing  the  union  between  our  fouls  and  bodies, 
and  rendering  us  abfolutely  incapable  of  per- 
ception and  enjoyment  from  any  thing  in  this 
lower  world;  yet,  thanks  be  to  God,  it  will 


A  FUNERAL  DISCOURSE,     1 1 

not  deftroy  our  exiftenccas.  "  living  agents." 
For  we  are  taught,  .in  "  the  gofpel  of  the 
bleffed  God/'  which  has  "  brought  life  and 
immortality  to  light/'  that  the  "  foul"  fur- 
yives  the  funeral  of  the  body,  and  is  intro- 
duced, by  means  of  death,  into  another  fl^te, 
wherein  it  exerts  its  active  powers  in  a  new 
and  different  way,  tho'  quite  unknown  to  us 
at  prefent :  Nay,  we  are  affured  in  the  facred 
books,  particularly  thofe  of  the  new  tefta- 
ment,  that  the  "  end"'  which  death  puts  to 
the  relation  between  our  fouls  and  bodies, 
in  confequence  of  which  our  bodies  are  no 
longer  animated  with  life  and  activity,  but 
gradually  fall  to  pieces,  and  crumble  into 
common  earth :  I  fay,  we  are  affured,  in  the 
books  of  revelafion,  that  this  difunion,  which 
death  makes,  {hall  not  laft  always;  but  that 
the  time  is  coming,  and  haftcns  apace,  wljen. 
our  fouls  and  bodies  lhall  be  again  united -to 
exift  in  this  union  in  the  eternal  world.  Says 
our  Savior  Jefus  Chrift,  "  The  hour  is  com- 
ing, in  the  which  all  that  arc  in  their  graves 
ihall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God,  and 
lhall  come  forth."  And  they  who  have  done 
well,  approving  themfelvcs .his  true  difciples, 
2nd  faithful  followers,  fh.a!l  come  forth  to 
enjoy  an  immortal  life  of  happincfs.  This 
B  2  3i; 


19     A  FUNERAL  DISCOURSE. 

is  clearly  and  fully  certified  to  us  by  the 
Apoftle  Paul  in  thefe  words,  "  We  look  for 
a  Savior,  the  Lord  Jcfus  Chrift,  who  fhali 
change  our  vile  body,  that  it  may  be  fafhion- 
ed  like  unto  his  glorious  body."  And  again, 
"  This  corruptible  muft  put  on  incorruption, 
and  this  mortal  muft  put  on  immortality. 
So  when  this  corruptible  (hall  have  put  on 
incorruption,  and  this  mortal  fhall  have  put 
on  immortality,  then  fhall  be  brought  to  pafs 
the  faying,  that  is  written,  death  is  fwallowed 
up  in  viftory.  Thanks  be  to  God  for  Jefus 
Chrift:,.  thro'  whom  we  obtain  this  viclory." 

LEL  us,  my  brethren,  relieve  our  minds 
under  the  fad  profpeft  of  death,  and  the 
*'  end"  it  puts  to  our  being  in  this  prefent 
ftate,  with  the  hope  the  gofpel  gives  us,  not 
only  of  another  manner  of  exigence  in  our 
fouls  immediately  after  death,  but  of  our  ex- 
ifting  again  both  in  foul  and  body,  and  in  a 
\vorld  where  there  will  be  "  fullnefs  of  joy" 
forever.  Only,  let  us  take  care  to  behave  in 
the  prefent  life,  fo  as  that  our  future  immor- 
tality may  be  this  happy  and  glorious  one. 

IT  is  a  thought  particularly  worthy  of  our 
ferlous  attention,    that  our  exigence  in 


tlit 


A  FUNERAL  DISCOURSE.     13 

the  ftatc  that  is  beyond  the  grave,  and  after 
the  general  refurreftion,  will  not  be  a  blefTed 
one,  unlefs,  in  this  day  of  our  trial,  we  be- 
come qualified  for  thofe  employments  and 
enjoyments  that  will  make  it  fo.  We  fhall 
all  live,  'tis  true,  notwirhftanding  death,  in 
{he  other  world  ;  "  for  as  in  Adam  all  die, 
fo  inChrift  fhall  all  be  made  alive :"  But  then, 
this  life  will  be  an  happy  one  to  thofe  only, 
who  fo  improve  their  prefent  opportunities, 
powers  and  advantages,  as  to  get  formed  to 
a  meetnefs  for  the  glories  of  the  heavenly 
world, — 

AND  this  leads  me  to  explain  and  urge  the 
fluty  fpecified,  in  the  latter  part  of  my  text, 
"  the  living  will  lay  it  to  his  heart." 

NOT  that  this  is  always  the  truth  in  point 
of  faft.  This  cannot  be  the  meaning  of  the 
words.  One  might  be  ready  indeed  to  think, 
that  fo  common  and  certain  a  fate  as  death 
would  be  ferionfly  confidered  by  all ;  efpe- 
cially  when  they  have  placed  before  their 
view  a  flriking  example  of  what  will  be  their 
own  cafe  in  a  very  little  time,  at  longeft.  But 
•t  is  found  to  be  far  otherwife  in  experience, 
a-nd  by  pbfervation.  Though  we  know  not 

how 


*4    A  FUNERAL   DISCOURSE. 

Bow  fbon  our  friends  and  acquaintance  may 
be  called  to  attend  our  remains  to  the  dark 
and  filent  grave;  yet,  we  are  ftrangely  inat- 
tentive to  fo  momentous  an  event.  We  do 
not  "  lay  it  to  heart ;"  we  are  not  affected 
with  the  confideration  of  it,  fo  as  to  "num- 
ber our  days  aright,  applying  our  hearts  to 
\vifdom,"  the  wifdom  of  being  religious,  and 
minding  principally  "the  one  thing  needful." 

WHEN  therefore  the  wife  man  fays,  "  the 
living  will  lay  it  to  heart,"  his  intention  is, 
not  to  declare  what  they  do  in  fact ;  but 
what  they  ought  to  do,  and  what  they  will 
do  if  they  act  as  is  bcfitqng  fnjil>  dying 
creatures. 

"THE  living  will  lay  it  to  heart/''  that  is, 
they  will,  if  they  are  wife,  fix  their  thoughts 
upon  their"  laftend;"  making  death  the  fpe- 
cial  fubject  of  their  ferious  and  folemn  con- 
templation. /That  which  is  laid  to  heart 
cngrofles  the  attention.  The  rnind  is  penfive, 
and  in  a  manner  taken  up  with  the  object 
before  its  view.  One's  thoughts  are  conti- 
nually running  this  way.  IF  therefore  "  the 
end  of  all  men"  is  what  "  lies  upon  ow 
.heart/'  we  (hall-,  at  proper  times,  qfpecially 

\vhcu 


A  FUNERAL  DISCOURSE,     if 

when  called  in  the,  providence  of  God  to  la- 
ment the  death  of  others,  turn  our  thoughts 
from  the  things  of  time  and  fenfe,  and  em- 
ploy them  in  ferious  confideration  of  that 
fatal  period  which  death  will  put  to  the  ex- 
iftence^of  all  men,  and  our  own  in  Ipecial, 
on  this  prefent  ftage  of  aftiori.  Not  that  meer- 
ly  thinking  on  the  human  frame,  as  that 
which  will  fhortly  come  to  an  "  end"  here, 
is  all  that  is  intended  by  "  laying  death  to 
heart ;"  but  this  is  one  thing  meant  by  it : 
for,  that  can-  never  be  faid,  with  any  propriety 
or  truth,  to  be  "  laid  to  heart,"  which  our 
minds  are  not  intent  upon,  fo  as  that  it  is  the 
fubject  of  our  engaged  meditation* 

"  THE  living  will  lay  it  to  heart"  Ano~ 
ther  thing,  and  the  principal  one  here  meant, 
is,  that  they  will  be  fo  affefted  with  a  ferious 
fenfe  of  their  "  end"  as  to  be  put  upon  fuita- 
ble  endeavours  to  get  prepared  for  it.  When 
any  thing  of  a  temporal  nature  "  lies  upon 
our  heart,"  we  do  not  reft  fatisfied  barely 
with  employing  our  thoughts  about  it;  but 
are  fo  imprefTed  with  concern,  as  to  be  urged 
on  to  that  method  of  conduct  which  is  ad- 
j lifted  to  the  objeft  that  engages  our  follici* 
iude.  And,  in  this  fenfe,  "  the  Jiving,"  if 

they 


16    A  FUNERAL 

they  are  wife,  "  will  lay  the  end  of  all  men 
to  heart."  They  wont  content  themfelves 
with  a  flight  and  tranfient  confideration  of 
death,  like  "  a  man,  who,  beholding  his  face 
in  a  glafs,  ftraitway  forgetteth  what  manner1 
of  man  he  wras"j  but  this  ferious  and  im- 
portant truth  will  fill  their  minds,  and  excite 
in  them  a  deep  concern ;  fuch  an  one  as  will 
be  practical,  influencing  them  to  a  becoming 
care,  in  the  ufe  of  all  proper  means,  that  they 
may  be  fitted  for  the  great  event  of  their 
dying,  and  leaving  this  prefent  world. 

IN  fhort,  this  "  laying  death  to  heart,"  in 
the  fenfe  the  wife  man  ufes  the  phrafe,  im- 
ports fuch  an  awakened  vigorous  attention  to 
the  affairs  of  our  fouls  and  another  world, 
as  will  be  effectual  to  difcngage  us  from  our 
fins,  and  put  us  upon  u  living  in  all  good 
confcience  towards  God/1  We  fhall,  if  we 
are  fuitably  affefted  with  "  the,  end  of  all 
men,"  be  aftive  in  our  endeavours  to  become 
poflefled  of,  and  daily  to  improve,  every  chri- 
ftian  grace  ;  abounding  in  all  thofe  works 
of  righteoufnefs,  which,  "  by  Jefus  Chrifl:  are 
to  the  praife  and  glory  of  God."  We  fhall 
cherifli  no  beloved  fin,  we  fhall  live  in  the 
aegleft  of  no  known  duty  ;  but  fhall  endea- 

,  vour 


A  FUNERAL  DISCOURSE.     17 


to  yield  a  fteady,  uniform,  chearful,  unl-» 
verfal  obedience  to  the  divine  precepts.  We 
fhall,  in  a  \vord,  (for  I  may  not  enlarge) 
make  it  our  earneft  care,  that  the  feveral 
graces  of  faith,  love,  humility,  meeknefs, 
patience,  contentment,  weanednefs  from  the 
world,  and  refignation  to  the  divine  pleafure, 
may  have  a  real  exigence  in  us,  and  difcover 
that  they  have  by  their  being  thrown  out  in- 
to afts,  as  occafions  may  be  offered  therefor 
in  the  conduct  of  providence,  to  the  glory 
of  God,  and  oiir  being  in  a  pfefent  aftual 
meetnefs  for  the  approach  of  death,  and  an 
happy  immortality  by  means  of  it. 

THIS  it  is,  and  this  only,  tl^at  makes  it  fit 
and  reafonable,  that  oar  hearts  fliould  be  en- 
gaged in  thinking  upon  "  the  end  of  all 
men."  If  our  attention  to  this  fubjeft  does 
not  awaken  a  concern  in  us,  and  fuch  an 
one  as  will  influence  us  to  practical  endea- 
vours that  we  may  be  ready  for  death,  it  will 
be  to  no  religibus  purpofe.  This  therefore, 
If  not  the  only,  is  the  principal  fehfe,  in 
which  the  infpired  Solomon  is  to  be  under- 
flood,  when  he  fatys,  "  the  living  will  lay  it 
to  heart,"  that  is,  if  they  aft  up  to  their  cha- 
.rafter  as  reafonable  creatures, 

C  LET 


>  8      A  FUN-ERAL  DISCOURSE. 

LET  me  now  urge  both  myfelf  and  ycul 
to  this  wifdom  of  condtift,  by  making  it  our 
great  csre  fo  to  think  of  our  "  end,"  as  that 
we  may  be  fitted  for  a  glorious  immortality 
beyond  the  grave.  To  be-prepared  for  this, 
by  getting  formed  in  our  minds  the  principles 
of  piety  towards  God,  faith  in  our  Lord] efus 
Chrift,  and  all  the  graces  and  virtues  that 
conflitute  and  adorn  the  chriftian  character, 
fhoald  be  our  main  bufinefs,  the  chief  em- 
ployment of  our  lives  in  this  world.  And 
the  fooner  we  fet  about  this  important  work, 
the  better :  Nor  fhould  any  of  us  dare  t<3 
run  the  venture  of  procraftinating  in  an  affair 
that  is  fo  nearly  connecled  \vith  our  eternal 
welfare,  f  \-oung  people  efpecially  are  apt 
to  be  guilty  of  this  folly  ;  imagining  that^age 
is  the  time  for  fcrious  thoughtfulnefs,  the 
proper  feafon  to  make  preparation  for  dearh 
and  the  other  world.  'J  hey  fuppofe  the  evil 
day  of  death  to  be  at  a  great  diftance,  and 
thiuk  it  is  time  enough  hereafter  to  mind 

their 

f  Dr.  May-hew,  fome  years  ago,  preached  and  publifhed  a 
volume  of  fermons,  his  defign  in  which  was,  to  ••  aniwei1 
the  pleas  of  delaying  finners,"  and  to  «•  excite  them  to 
fpeed  in  turning  their  ftet  into  the  path  of  God's  telli- 
monies."  Hs  has  faid  every  thing  pertinent  TO  th«  iu^  j?6r» 
and  in  a  ferious,  pathetic,  and  yet  mod  convincing  m.-n- 
ner.  It  were  to  be  wiflied,  difcourfes  fo  well  adap'er  to 
putxnen  upon  inftant  endeavours  that  they  may  be«MJl€ 
religious,  were  snore  generality  attended  to. 


A  FUNERAL  DISCOURSE. 

I 

their  fouls,  and  provide  for  their  exiftence  in 

the  future  itdte But  how  knowcft  thou, 

O  v.i in  young  man,  but  that  an  "  end"  may 
be  foon  put  to  your  days  here  on  earth  ? 
"  There  are,"  as  we  read  in  the  book  of  Job, 
"  that  die  in  youth."  And  it  is  often  feen 
to  be  the  truth  of  faft,  that  c;  one  dieth  in 
his  full  i^rength,  being  wholly  at  eafe  and 
quiet.  His  breafts  are  full  of  milk,  and  his 
bones  are  moiftcned  wich  marro\V."  And 
fhould  any  of  you  be  of  that  number  that 
fliall  be  feleftcd  for  death  in  the  prime  and 
vigor  of  Tifc,  what  a  pitiful  excufe  would  it 
be  for  your  neglect  of  your  fouls,  and  their 
evcrlafting  falvation,  that  you  hoped  you 
fhould  have  •  lived  till  you  were  "full  of 
daya"  !  Oh !  tis  perfett  madncfs  in  young 
people  to  depend  upon  life,  cfpcciafly  upon 
life  protracted  till  old  age,  and  fo  to  depend 
upon  it  as  to  live  thouglulefs  of  religion,  and 
take 'no  care  to  provide  for  their  eternal  du- 
ration in  another  world.  Let  me  befeech 
you  to  hearken  to  that  advice  of  pious  David 
to  his  fon  Solomon,  "  rl  hou  Solomon,  my 
fon,  know  thou  the  God  of  thy  father,  and 
fcrve  him  with  a  pcrfccl  heart,  and  with  a 
willing  mind."  And  fuffer  your  mind  to  be 
Imprefled  with  the  powerful  motives  with 

C    2  Wi 


JNER^L  DISCOURSE. 

which  he  enforces  this  advice,  in  the  words 
that  immediately  follow,  "  For  the  Lord 
fl-ircheth  all  hearts,  and  underftandeth  all  the 
imaginations  of  the  thoughts.  If  thou  feekeft 
him,  he  will  be  found  of  thee  ;  but  if  thou 
forfakeft  him,  he  will  caft  thee  off  forever/" 
Be  perfuaded  alfo  to  attend  to  that  exhorty- 
tion  of  Solomon  himfelf,  when  he  had  pafTed 
through  the  age  of  youth,  and  was  come  to 
ripenefs  of  years  ;  "  Remember  now  thy 
creator  in  the  days  of  thy  youth,  while  the 
evil  days  come  not,  nor  the  years  draw  nigh, 
when  thoii  {halt  fay  I  have  no  pleafure  in 
them." 

MY  being  thu,s  particular  in  fpeaking  to 
young  people,  upon  the  prefent  oqcafion, 
ipay  be  a  word  in  feafon,  as  they  make  fo> 
great  a  part  of  this  congregation.  And  I 
the  rather  thought  there  was  a  propriety  in 
it,  as,  I  know,  your  now  deceafed  paftor  was 
greatly  concerned  that  your  minds  might,  in 
early  life,  be  favingly  impreflfed  with  a  fe- 
rious  fenfe  of  God,  and  the  principles  of  ge- 
nuine chriftianity.  To  this  end  he  preached, 
but  a  few  years  fince,  a  courfe  of  excellent 
fermons,  "  exhorting"  you,  the  young  peo- 
ple of  his  chars;et  *'*  ^o  be  fober-mlnded." 

If 


A  FUNERAL  DISCOURSE    21 

It  was  at  the  defire  of  many  of  you,  fighified 
to  him  in  writing,  that  they  were  printed  fat 
your  fpiritual  edification.  He  is  now  dead  ; 
but  he  (till  fpeaks  to  you,  and  with  great 
affection  and  folemnity,  in  thefe  difcourfes.  J 
heartily  recommend  them  to  your  ferious,  fre* 
quent,  and  confiderate  pcrufal.  They  are  admi- 
rably well  adapted  to  inform  your  underftand- 
ings,  to  awaken  your  paffions,  and,  by  all  the 
motives  that  can  be  fetched  from  this  world 
or  another,  to  engage  your  endeavours  to 
begin  a  religious  courfe  pf  life  betimes,  and 
to  go  oq  in  it  all  your  days.  It  will  be  your 
own  fault,  if  you  are  not  perfuaded,  by 
what  you  will  meet  with  in  them,  to  make 
it  the  grand  bufinefs  of  your  life  to  gel 
formed  to  a  readinefs  for  the  world  you  are 
haftening  to. 

AND  let  this  be  the  care  of  us  all,  be  our 
age,  ftation,  or  condition,  what  it  will.  There 
is  nothing  we  can  be  urged  to  that  more 
nearly  concerns  us.  'Tis  an  affair  of  ever- 
lafting  importance. 

ARE  we  any  of  us  confcious  to  ourfelves, 
that  we  have  all  along,  even  to  this  day,  lived 
thoughtlefs  of  our  "  cnd/'r.rglccling  to 


A  F&NERsfL  DISCOURSE, 

' 

preparation  For  it  ?  Oh !  what  a  wretched 
ffate  are  we  in  !  And  how  can  we  be  "  at 
cafe  in  biou,"  when  we  know  not  how  foon, 
or  fuddenly,  a  period  may  be  put  to  our  con- 
tinuance on  the  earth  ?  Suppofc  the  holy 
God  fhould  fpeak  to  us  in  the  language  he 
did  to  one  in  the  days  of  Chrilt,  "  this  night 
diy  foul  (hall  be  required  of  thee  :J>  O  the 
Eotror  of  mind  we  fho.uld  be  thrown  into  ! 
When  Belihazzar  faw  "  the  hand- writing  up- 
on the  wall,"  though  in  the  midft  of  his. 
companions,  and  in  the  height  of  mirth  and 
joilkyv  how  was  u  his  countenance  changed" ! 
And  how  did  "  his  thoughts  trouble  him"  1 
A  lively  embleai  of  the  awful  furprife  thofe 
may  be  feized  with,  who  arc  overtaken  by 
death,,  while  they  had  no  cxpc&ation  of  fuch 
an  event,  and  had  made  n,>  provifion  for  it. 
O  how  are  they  confounded,  and  amazed  ! 
What  an'guifh  filleth  their  hearts  1  How  cut- 
ting is  the  review  of  their  paft  ncglecls ! 
How  tormenting  the  fenfe  of  their  loll  op- 
portunities 1  And  how  does  the  reflection  on 
their  pa(r  folly  awaken  their  paffions,  alarm 
confcicnce,  and  camfe  them  to  turn  upon 
themfelvTS  with  the  kcenefl  rcfentments* 

THERE  is  not  a  more  pitiable  fight,  than 
that  of  an  unconcerned,  fceure,  and  flupid 


A  FUNERAL  DISCOURSE,    aj 

ilnner,  fuddenly  arreflcd  by  death,  and  fent 
to -the  place  of  fcparate  fpirlts  in  the  invifible 
ftate.  To  be  turned  out  of  the  world  with- 
out cbnfideration  of  our  latter  end,  and, 
being  unprepared  for  it,  to  fall'  under  the 
fentcnce  of  the  flothful  and  wicked  fcrvant> 
*'  cart  ye  the  unprofitable  fervant  into  outer 
darkiufs,"  where  there  fhall  be  "  weeping, 
and  wailing,  and  gnafhing  of  teeth;"  wJiat 
more  (hocking!  what  more  terrible ! — Who 
can  exprefs  the  infupportable  agony  of -fucia 
a  poor  foul !  It  furpaiTls  all  language !  It  goes 
beyond*  the  reach  of  conception  ! 

BUT  let  us  turn  the  profoeft,  and  ftippofe 
on  the  other  hand,  that  we  have  "  iaidxkada 
to  heart,"  have  fo  confidered  this  "  end  of 
all  men,"  as  that  we  have  been  effectually  en- 
gaged to  "  ykld  ourfelves  up  to  God"  thro* 
Chriir,  to  love  him  with  all  our  hearts,  and 
to  ferve  him  with  all  our  might,  by  a  due 
ufe  of  our  tfmc,  powers  and  talents : — In  this 
view  of  the  matter,  how  fafe  is  our  condi- 
tion !  What  (ccurity  may  we  feel  in  our' 
thoughts!  What  peace  in  our  confcieaces-I 
What  joy  in  our  breafts  I  1  ht  moft  fudden 
afTault  by  death  would  do  us  no  harm,  as 
'being  prepared  for  fuch  aa  event.  We 


£4    d  FUNERAL  DISCOURSE. 

jnight  have  confidence  tdwards  God,  wheri- 
ever,  or  in  what  manner  foever,  we  are  called 
hence.  And  fhould  the  call  be  fudden,  O 
how  pleafingly  fhould  we  be  furprifed  to 
perceive,  that  we  were  now  "  in  the  city 
<0f  the  living  God,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem," 
affbciated  with  the  fpiritfc  of  juft  men  made 
f>erfeft;  with  an  innumerable  company  of 
angels ;  with  the  general  affembly  and  church 
of  the  firft-born,  which  are  written  in  hea- 
ifen ;  with  Jefus  the  mediator  of  the  new- 
covenant ;  arid  with  God  the  judge  of  all !" 
And  who  is  able  to  defcribc  the  happinefs  of 
4hat  ftate  we  are  now  in  !  "  Eye  hath  not 
feen,  nor  ear  heard,  nor  hath  it  ciitered  into 
aaan's  heart  toconceive"  of  the  greatnefsof  it. 

NOTHING  beyond  this  can  befaid  to  drgc 
«pon  us  the  duty  of  "  laying  the  end  of  all 
men  to  heart."  The  infpired  books  have 
p ropofed  no  higher  motives  to  excite  our 
liopes,  and  alarm  our  fears,  that  we  might 
be  roufed  to  aftion.  And  if  we  will  be  per- 
fuaded  neither  by  thefe  mercies,  nor  terrors 
of  the  Lord,  we  muft  reap  the  fruit  of  our 
own  folly.  No  arguments  that  are  more 
|>owerfui  can  be  ufed  wUh  us. 

I   HAVE 


A  FUNERAL  DISCOURSE.    ^ 

I  HAVE  now  done  with  my  text  ;  tho',  I 
believe,  you  expeft  that  I  fhould,  before  I 
conclude,  take  fome  fpecial  notice  of  the  af* 
feeling  occafion  which  gave  rife  to  the  pre- 
ceeding  difcourfe  from  it.  And,  I  freely  own, 
I  am  in  no  want  of  an  inclination  to  do  all 
the  honor  and  juftice  I  can  to  the  memory 
of  one  fo  richly  accomplifhed  as  Dr.Mayhew 
is  known  to  have  been.  Nor  will  any  fuf- 
peft  the  truth  of  what  I  fay,  who  are  ac- 
quainted with  the  friendfhip  there  was  be- 
tween us.  This  began  upon  his  fir  ft  comment 
cing  a  Preacher  of  the  Gofpel,  and  has  con- 
tinued ever  fince  with  mutual  efteem,  confi- 
dence and  delight.  I  will  therefore  "  mourn 
in  fecret  places",  God's  "  putting  far  frorn 
me"  fo  good  a  friend,  his  "-removing  fodear 
an  acquaintance  into  darkncfs".  This  ma-* 
lancholly  occurrence  has,  I  am  ready  to  think, 
excited  in  my  breaft  like  fcnfations  of  grief 
with  thofe  which  David  felt  upon  the  death 
of  his  beloved  'Jonathan  ;  and  I  can,  with  ali 
fincerity, lament  over  him  in  the  pungent  ex- 
predlons  of  his  afflicted  heart,  "  I  am  di£»  \ 
treffcd  for  thee,  my  brother  JONATHAN  j 
very  plcafant  haft  thou  been  unto  me". 

D  I    MAY, 


s 6    'A  tUNERslL  DISCOURSE. 

I  MAY,  having  obfervcd  this,  be  tho't,  in 
fome  meafure,  qualified  to  portray  his  cha- 
racter ;  tho'  in  the  doing  of  it,  I  {hall  bere- 
ligioufly  careful  neither  to  flatter  the  dead, 
nor  deceive  the  living  :  And,  I  think,  I  fo 
far  know  myfelf  as  to  be  fure,  that  I  dare 
not,  at  fuch  a  time  as  this,  and  in  fuch  2 
place,  attempt  a  delineation  which  I  did  not 
really  believe  was  righj  and  juft. 

"  TH  E  Father  of  fpirits"  was  pleafed,  in 
his  diftinguifhing  goodnefs,  to  favor  Dr. 
Mayhew  with  fuperior  mental  powers.  Few 
furpafled  him  either  in  the  quicknefs  of  his 
apprehenfion,  the  clearnefs  of  his  perception, 
the  readinefs  of  his  invention,  the  brightnefs 
of  his  imagination,  the  comprehcnfion  of  his 
underloading,  or  the  foundnefs  of  his  judg- 
ment. And,  together  with  thefe  gifts  of 
God,  he  was  endowed  with  a  fingular  great- 
nefs  of  mind,  fortitude  of  fpirit,  and  yet  foft- 
nefs  and  benevolence  of  temper  :  all  which, 
being  enlarged  and  Itrengthened  by  a  good 
education,  and  the  opportunity  of  free  con- 
verfe  with  men  and  books,  foon  qualified 
him  to  makeva  confiderable  figure  in  the 
world  ;  as  he  was  hereby  enabled  to  {peak 
and  write  with  that  freedom  of  thought,  that 

juftnefs 


*A  FUNERAL  DISCOURSE.    27 

juftnefs  of  method,that  ftrength  of  argument, 
that  facility  of  exprefliori,  that  livelinefs  of 
fancy,  that  purity  of  diction,  a«d  that  appa- 
rent concern  for  the  good  of  mankind,which 
procured  him  a  name,  both  here  and  abroad, 
which  will-be  remembered  with  honor  long 
after  his  body  is  crumbled  into  duft.  It  was 
this  that  made  way  for  his  correfpondence 
beyond  the  great  waters, which  was  daily  in- 
crcafing  :  And,  had  the  wifdom  of  God  feen 
fit  to  have  continued  him  in  life,  it  might 
hare  been  of  great  fervice  to  his  country  as 
well  as  himfelf,  if  we  may  judge  from  what 
it  has  already  been. 

HE  was  eminently  a  friend  to  liberty  both 
civil  and  religious.*  And  if  his  zeal,  at  any 
time,betrayed  him  in.to  too  great  afeverity  of 
cxprefljan,it  wasagainft  the  attempts  of  thofe 
who  would  make  Haves  either  of  men's  fouls 

D  2  or 

*  Hi  s  firft  printed  cTiftourfps  were  upon  the  fubject  of 
LIBERTY.  His  view  in  them  was,  to  alfert  and 
maintain  the  R i G H T  OF  PRIVATE  JUDGMENT.  Fc\v 
have  wrote  more  copioufly,  more  elegantly,  or  more 
forccably  upon  this  interring  point.  If,  in  ibir-e 
inftanccs,  the  Dr's  imagination  got  the  better  of  Ms 
judgment,  betraying  him  into  too  warm  and  fatyrical 
exprefiions,  the  candid  will  be  difpofed  to  make  all 
due  allowances,  confidering  his  inexperience  of  the 
\vorid,  being  then  hi  his  youthful  days.  It  was  this 
performance  that  firll  fpread  his  fame,  and  rendered 
him  conspicuous  as  a  writer,  both  here  and  abroad. 


28     ji  FUNERAL  DISCOURSE. 

or  bodies.  He  nobly  claimed  that  which  he 
efteemed  equally  the  right  of  others,  the 
liberty  of  thinking  for  himfelf :  And  he 
made  ufe  of  all  proper  helps  in  order  to  his 
thinking  right.  He  freely  confulted  the 
writings  of  men  of  all  perfuafions,  not  omit- 
ing  to  read  the  works  of  fyftematical  divines, 
and  metaphyfical  fchoolmen  ;  tho'  he  paid  no 
.regard  to  any  thing  he  found  in  them,  but 
in  fubferviency  to  the  facred  books  of  fcrip- 
ture.  Thefe  he  firmly  adhered  to,  as  con- 
taining the  revelations  of  God;  making  them 
the  one  only  rule  of  his  religious  faith. 
44  What  faith  the  fcripture"?  was  his  grand 
enquiry  ;  and,  as  his  fentiments  as  a  chriftian 
and- divine  were  the  refult  therefrom,  he  had 
the  honefty  and  refolution  to  preach  and 
publifh  the  truth  in  Chrift,  according  to  the 
apprehenfion  he  had  formed  of  h.  If  he 
differed  from  fome  others  in  a  few  points  f, 

they 

f  Two  or  three  ye?.rs  ago  a  pamphlet  appeared  among 
us,  under  the  name  of  an  cbfcure  perfon  without  re- 
putation, wiotu  e»t.Kor  by  himfclf,  or  a  certain  oflici- 
clous  lay-gentleman  of  his  acquair.ti'iice,  afhumcd  or 
' afraid  to  be  kno\\n  as  its  author,  in  which  the  Dr, 
was  reprefented  as  an  ene??:\  fs  t.'-c  v?c?:c?!;cnt  l>y  Jefns 
Chrijl.  TJie  real  writer  of  that  piece,  whoever  he 
was,  knew  little  of  the  Dr,  or  the  UYLC  rr caning 
of  his  works.  He  mig'ht  as  \vall  have  taxed  any 
minifter  in  the  Town  or  Province  upon  this  head  ; 
for  there  Mras  not  one,  n  v.-lcdge,  that  was 

more  firm  and  ftcady  ..ih  us  to  this  doctrine 

of  the    oijjci,   He  Uwvcr  ;»aJ  U;c  ieau  doubt  about  It, 


rf  FUNERAL  DISCOURSE.    29 

they  differed  as  much  frorn  him  :  Nor  had 
they,  on  this  account,  any  greater  right  to 
judge  him,  than  he  had  to  judge  them  ;  tho' 
he  did  not  prefume  to  do  this,  as  he  tho't, 
with  exact  truth  and  juftice,  that  we  have 
all  one  common  Lord  to  whom  we  are  ac- 
countable, and  by  whofe  judgment  ONLY 
we  fhall  either  (land  or  fall  in  the  coming 
great  day  of  try  ah 

HE  was  an  avowed  enemy  to  all  human 
cflablifhments  in  religion,  efpecially  the  efta- 
blifhment  of  meer  ceremonial  rites  as  ne- 
cefTary  to  chriftian  communion.  And  as  he 
cfteemed  this  a  direct  ufurpation  of  that  right 
which  is  proper  only  to  Jefus  Chrift,  the  only 
fupreme  head  of  the  chriftian  church,  it  may 
be  an  excufe  for  him,  if  he  has  ever  expreiTed 
himfelf  with  too  great  a  degree  of  afpcrity 
upon  this  head. 

IT  was  highly  offenfive  to  him,  when  he 
perceived  in  any  an  evident  breach  of  truft; 
efpecially,  if  the  truft  related  to  the  thing 
religion  and  another  world.  And  as  he  had 
upon  his  mind  a  clear  and  full  convi<5Hon,  in 
common  with  many  others,  that  this  breach 
of  truft  was  juftly  chargeable  upon  a  certain 

reipcclable 


30    A  FUNERAL  DISCOURSE. 

refpeftable  focicty  at  home,  tho'  they  might 
be  led  into  it  thro'  repeated  mifinformations 
from  their  correfpomdents  here  ;  it  was  this 
that  gave  rife  to  the  fevcral  pieces  he  wrote 
upon  this  fubjeft;  in  which  he  honored  hitn- 
felf,  fervcd  thefe  churches,  and  prevented  the 
application  of  much  of  that  charity  for  the 
propagation  of  Epifcopacy,  which  was  in- 
tended for  the  propagation  of  chriftianity. 
He  has  received  acknowledgments  from  Eng- 
land on  account  of  thefe  writings,  and  from 
fome  of  the  Epifcopal  perfwafion,  who  were 
fully  with  him  in  his  fentiments  upon  the 
main  point  he  had  in  view. 

BESIDES  what  has  been  faid,  thofe  ac- 
quainted with  the  Dr.  muft  have  obfefved 
that  manlinefs  of  Spirit,  that  friendlincfs  of 
difpofition,  that  freedom  and  chearfulnefs  of 
tern  per,  which  rendered  him  agreable  to  thofe 
who  had  the  opportunity  of  converfing  with 
him.  They  muft  alfo  have  feen  his  amiable 
behaviour  in  the  fcveral  relations  of  life.  As 
a  hufband,  how  faithful  and  kind  !  As  a  fa- 
ther, how  tender  and  affeftionatc  !  As  a  Maf- 
ter,  how  juft  and  equal  !  knowing  that 
he  had  a  mafter  in  heaven.  As  a  friend,  how 
true  to  his  profcffions !  with  what  confidence 

to 


A  FUNERAL  DISCOURSE.    31 

to  be  trufted  in  !  As  a  neighbour,  how  ready 
to  all  the  offices  of  love  and  goodnefs  !  In- 
ftead  of  being  deficient,  he  rather  exceeded 
in  the  afts  of  his  liberality  and  charity.  As 
a  minifter,  how  diligent,  how  laborious,  how 
fkilful  !  making  it  his  care  to  contrive  his  dif- 
courfes  fo  as  to  inform  the  mind  and  touch 
the  heart,  fo  as  at  once  to  entertain  and  profit 
both  the  fcarned  and  the  illiterate,  the  polite 
and  lefs  cultivated  hearer.  Few  were  able  to 
compofe  their  fermons  with  fo  much  eafe,and 
yet  fo  much  pertinence  ;  and  few  preached 
with  greater  conftancy,  or  took  occafion 
more  frequently  frpm  occurrences  in  the  con- 
duel  of  providence  to  make  what  he  faid  fea- 
fonable  and  profitable  to  his  hearers. 

BUT  what  is  more  than  all  that  has  been 
offered,  he  was,  in  the  judgment  of  thofe 
who  beft  knew  him,  a  man  of  real  piety  and 
true  devotion,  an  upright  fincere  difciple  and 
fervant  of  Jefus  Chrift.  Was  it  proper  to 
mention  the  time,  manner  and  circumftances 
of  his  becoming  pofTeffed  of  that  faith  inGod 
and  his  Son  Jefus  Chrift,  which  purified  his 
heart,  and  became  in  him  an  habitual  pow- 
erful principle  of  virtuous  aftion,  I  doubt 
not  but  even  thofc  would  entertain  a  good 

opinion 


32    A  FUNERAL  DISCOURSE. 

opinion  of  him  as  area!  chriftian,  who  may 
have .  been  greatly  wanting   in    their  candor 
and  charity  towards  him,  becaufe,   in  fomc1 
points,  his  tho'ts  did  not  agree  with  their's.  I. 
have  abundant  reafon  to  believe,  from  what  I 
know  of  him,  that  it  was  his  great  endeavour 
to  live  in    all   good  confcience  towards  God 
and  man.     And  fhould  I  appeal   to  you,  the 
people  of  his  charge,  you  would  all,  I  doubt 
not,  rife  up  and  declare  his   approbation  and 
practice  of  the  "  things   that  were  true,  ho- 
ned, juft,  pure,  lovely  and  of  good  report'*. 
You  would  appear  as  witnefTes  and  (ay,  that 
he  had  been  to  you  "  an  example  in  word, 
In  converfation,in  charity,  in  faith,  in  purity", 
and  in  all    thofe  other  virtues  which  adorn 
the  chriftian's  and  the  minifter's  character  : 
Not  that   he  was  without  his   imperfections 
and  failings.     I  know  he  had   them,  and  he- 
knew  it  too  ;  and  every  one  elfe  knows  that 
he  has  many  infirmities,  who, in  any  tolerable 
degree,  knows  himfelf.  But  he  was  uniform 
and  fleady  in   his  regards  to  the  religion  of 
Jefns  ;  not   placing  it    in  "  tythes  of   mint, 
anni£e  and    cummin",    but    the  practice  of 
"  the  weightier  matters    of  the   law,  judg- 
ment, mercy  and  faith  ":  Tho',  after  all,  in- 
ilead  of  "  trufting  that  he  was  righteous",  in 

the 


A  FUNERAL  DISCOURSE.     33 

the  fcnfe  of  rigorous  law,  he  efteemed  him- 
felf  "  an  unprofitable  fervent",  and  had  his 
dependance  on  the  mercy  of  God,  thro*  the 
mediation  of  the  only  Saviour  Jefus  Chrifh 
In  this  temper  he  lived,  and  in  the  fame  tem- 
per, I  believe,  he  would  have  died,  had  k 
pleafed  the  alwife,  righteous  and  holy  Sove- 
reign of  the  world  to  have  permitted  the 
free  ufe  of  his  reafonable  powers.  And  he 
is  now,  as  to  his  foul  or  fpirit,  we  charitably 
believe,  in  that  invifible  world,  which  was 
the  great  object  of  his  hope,  and  where  he 
will  be  happy  without  any  mixture  of  evil 
forever* 

You,  his  dear  relatives,  entertain  this  tho't 
of  him  ;  and  while  this  is  your  faith,  how 
can  you  indulge  to  immoderate  grief?  Weep 
you  may,  but  it  ought  to  be  for  yourfclves, 
not  for  him,  who  is  beyond  the  reach  6f  fin 
and  forrow,  and  has  enter'd  into  the  joy  of 
his  Lord. 

WE  heartily  fympathife  with  you  all  ; 
wifliing  you  the  fupports  of  grace,  and  the 
confolations  of  God  which  are  not  fmall. 


IT 


34    ^4  fUNER^L  DISCOURSE. 

IT  is,  in  fpccial,  our  hearts  defire,  that  the 
amiable  perfon,  left  in  folitary  Widow-hood 
by  the  death  of  a  moft  tender  hufband,  may 
be  comforted  of  God  in  this  day  of  her 
trouble.  Her  cafe  is  pitiable.  We  could 
hot  blame  her,  if,  in  the  agonies  of  her  grief, 
Ihe  ihould  break  forth  in  thofe  affefting 
words,  "  have  pity  upon  me,  have  pity  upon 
me,  O  my  friends  !  For  the  hand  of  the 
Lord  has  touched  me."  'Tis  recorded  of 
the  blefled  Jefus,  that  he  "  wept'*  over  his 
dead  friend  Lazarus  ;  and  he  will  not  take  it 
amifs,  fhould  the  paffion  of  grief  be  ftirred 
in  you,  and  vent  kfelf  in  tears,  upon  the  de- 
parture of  him  who  was  "  the  defire  of 
your  eyes",  and  with  whom  you  lived  fo 
happily,  while  it  pleafed  God  to  continue  you 
together.  Only,  you  muft  take  care,  that 
you  find  no  fault  with  your  maker  for  deal- 
ing thus  bitterly  with  you.  And  you  are 
difpofed,  I  believe,  and  upon  the  principles 
of  chriftianity,  rather  to  fubmk  patiently  to 
the  fovereign  alwife  dominion  of  God,  than 
to  difpute  his  pleafure.  May  you  be  enabled 
futably  to  caft  this  burden  on  the  Lord  !  And 
may  you  find  his  "  everlafting  arms  under- 
neath" to  fupport  you  !  May  that  glorious 
Being,  who  has  ftiled  himfelf  "  the  widow's 

God", 


A  FUNERAL  DISCOURSE.     35 

God",  pity  your  diftrcfled  cafe,  and  fend  you 
help  and  comfort  "  from  his  holy  dwelling 
place" !  And  let  "  all  the  congregation  fay, 
Amen";  and,  I  doubt  not,  but  they  will  do 
it  with  their  whole  hearts. 

WE  unite  alfo  in  our  prayers  to  the  God 
of  heaven  for  the  Children,  fo  early  in  life, 
bereaved  of  their  earthly  father.  Wherein 
could  the  holyGod  have  more  nearly  touched 
them  ?  What  greater  outward  good  could  he 
have  taken  from  them  ?  What  a  guide  would 
he  have  been  to  their  childhood  and  youth  ? 
How  careful  would  he  have  been  of  their 
education  ?  Efpecially,  that  they  might  have 
been  fitted  to  be  bleffings  in  the  world,  and 
to  do  worthily  in  their  generation  ?  Bur,  if 
their  earthly  parent  would  have  been  good 
to  them,  how  much  more  will  their  father 
in  heaven  concern  himfelf  for  their  welfare  ; 
taking  them  under  his  fpecial  guidance,  even 
to  death  ?  Their  follickous  mother  may  hope 
that  he  will,  and  it  is  our  ardent  prayer  that 
he  would :  and  fhe  may  be  encouraged  in 
her  hope,  and  we  in  our  prayer,  from  the 
thought,  that  God  has  been  pleajed  to  r. 
himfelf  known  under  that  endearing 
"  the  father  of  orphans'',  the  God  wich 

F  2  whom 


$6    A  FUNERAL  DISCOURSE. 

whom  "  the  fatherlefs  find  mercy".- — I  can- 
not forbear  recommending  thefe  orphan- 
children  to  the  compaffionate  regards  of  you, 
the  people  of  God  in  this  place  ;  nor  can  I 
fuppofe  but  you  will  be  ready  to  fhew  them 
Idndnefs  in  the  Lord.  I  bear  you  record, 
you  were  kindly  affectioned  to  their  departed 
father  ;  making  difcoveries  of  it  in  fu table 
aeh  of  benevolence. — Remember,  I  befeech 
you,  thefe  dear  parts  of  himfelf  he  has  left 
behind  him  ;  and  "  to  do  them  good  forget 
not ;  for  with  fach  facrifices  God  will  be 
well  p leafed". 

SUFFER  me  now  to  leave  with  the  flock 
of  Chrift,  in  this  place,  the  following  advice  ; 
which,  if  received  in  love,  and  duly  pracYifed 
upon,  may,  by  the  divine  blcffing,  be  pro- 
ijtahle  to  you* 

CONSIDER  the  death  of  your  paftor  as  bro't 
about,  jn  all  its  circumflanccs,  under  the 
over-ruling  agency  of  the  alwjfe,  righteous, 
holy  and  merciful  Sovereign  of  heaven  and 
earth.  And  let  this  thought  compofe  you  to 
filence  and  fubmifiion.  Be  dill,  and  know 
that  he  is  God.  Let  npnc  dare,  fo  much  as 
in  their  hearts,  to  "  i!nd  fault"  with  him*  or 

to 


A  FUNERAL  DISCOURSE.    37 

to  fay  unto  him  "  what  doeft  thou"? — What 
he  has  done  is  the  effect  of  alwife  counfeL— - 
It  is  beft  as  it  is ;  for  God  has  done  it.  And 
"  who  can  mend  the  work  which  his  hand 
has  wrought"? 

I N  Q.U  i  R  E  each  one  of  you,  wherein  you  may 
have  had  an  hand  in  bringing  this  evil  upon 
.yourfelves.  It  may  be  fome  of  you  enter- 
tained too  exalted  thoughts  of  him,  placing 
an  undue  dependance  on  his  gifts  and  talents. 
In  this  cafe,  God  might  be  difplcafed. — It 
may  be,  fome  of  you,  inftcad  of  being  wro't 
upon  by  the  infiructions,  counfels  and  warn- 
ings, which  God  difpenfed  to  you  by  the 
mouth  of  his  fervant,  flopped  your  cars,  and 
hardened  your  hearts,  and  are  to  this  day 
going  on  in  your  trefpaffes :  fhould  it  be  thus 
with  any  of  you,  you  have  infinite  reafon  to 
turn  upon  yourfelves  with  the  keened  reflec- 
tions. You  have  flighted,  to  an  high  degree 
of  guilt,  the  miniftry  God  was  pleafed  to  fet 
-;>  among  yoij,  and  it  may  be  in  anger  to 
{Vh  of  you  that  he  has  taken  it  from  you. 
You  cannot  therefore  better  improve  this 
providence  than  by  humbling  yourfeivcs  be- 
fore God,  and  betaking  yourfelves  to  his 
mercy  thro'  Chrifl  for  pardon,  in.  the  exercife 
of  a  deep  repentance.  AND 


A  FUNERAL  DISCOURSE. 

AND  you  fliould  all  remember  "  how  you 
have  received,  and  heard".  Often  call  to 
mind  the  great  truths,  relating  to  your  fouls, 
and  your  everlafting  falvation,  which  have 
been  fo  ferioufly  and  preffingly  delivered  to 
you  from  this  defk,  that  you  may  ftill  reap 
fpirkual  advantage  from  them.  "  I  befeech 
you,  brethren,  and  exhort  you  by  the  Lord 
Jefus  Chrift,  that,  as  you  have  received,  of 
your  deceafed  paftor,  hpw  ye  ought  to  walk, 
fo  ye  would  abound  more  and  more".  "Be- 
ware left,  being  led  away  with  the  error  of 
the  wicked,  ye  fall  from  your  ftedfaftneft": 
But  "  grow  in  grace,  and  in  the  knowledge 
of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jefus  Chrift".  "My 
beloved  brethren,  be  ye  ftedfaft,  immoveable, 
always  abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord  ; 
forasmuch  as  you  have  been  taught,  and 
know,  that  your  labor  is  not  in  vain  in  the 
Lord". 

AND  as  you  are  now  as  fhecp  without  a 
ftepherd,  it  is  the  hearty  prayer  of  all  your 
friends,  that  you  may  not  be  fcattered  ;  that 
God  would  keep  you  united  in  love,  and  in 
his  own  time,  which  is  the  beft,  direct 
and  lead  you  into  the  choice  of  another 
paftor,  who  {hall  long  live  to  be  a  bleffing  to 
you.  "BRETHREN 


A  FUNERAL  DISCOURSE.     39 

BRETHREN,  I  commend  you  to  God, 
to  the  word  of  his  grace,  which  is  able  to 
build  you  up,  and  to  give  you  an  inheritance 
among  all  them  that  are  fanftified". 

I  HAVE  only  to  fay,  as  Dr.  Mayhew  was 
a  friend  to  thefe  churches,  and  their  able 
advocate ;  efpecially  in  regard  of  that  "  liberty 
wherewith  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift  has  made 
them  free ':  As  he  was  a  friend  to  the  col- 
lege, and  has  exerted  his  powers  to  my 
knowledge  in  defence  of  its  reputation  and 
intereft  :  And  as  he  was  a  friend  to  the  coun- 
try in  general,  entertaining  an  high  opinion 
of  the  more  fpecial  errand  upon  which  our 
progenitors  came  over  into  this  then  defolate 
wildernefs,and  hasvigoroufly  laid  himfelf  out 
in  oppofing  any  defigns  that  might  have  been 
formed  to  fubvert  it  : — His  death,  in  the  vi- 
gor of  his  days,  and  height  of  his  ufeful- 
nefs,  may  juftly  be  efleemed  a  great  and  pub- 
lic lofs,  calling  for  univerfal  lamentation. 

WE  may  rcafonably  cry  to  God  for  help, 
when  men  of  fuch  importance  are  taken  out 
of  the  world.  And  we  have  great  encour- 
agement to  do  fo,  as  with  him  is  "  the  re- 
fidue  of  the  fpirit",  He  can  raife  up,  qualify 

and 


40    A  FUNERAL  DIS  :OURSE. 

and  fpirit  others  to  fupply  their  place,  fup- 
port  his  caufe,  and  do  yet  more  worthily  for 
him,  in  their  day  and  generation.  Let  us  reft 
our  fouls  on  God  as  the  alone  all-fufficient 
fource  of  all  good. 

"  Now  to  him  who  only  hath  immorta- 
lity, dwelling  in  light,  which  no  man  can 
approach  to, whom  no  man  hath  feen,  or  can 
fee ;  of  whom,  thro*  whom,  and  to  whom 
are  all  things :  to  him  be  given  all  glory  and 
honor,  dominion  and  bleffing,by  all  creatures 
In  heaven  and  earth,  forever  and  ever. 


AMEN, 


Oil? 


